Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A 'new' stash of old records being readied for viewing

Land, census and marriage records from the late 1700s to the early 1900s have recently resurfaced that could provide a treasure trove of information for genealogists and others.

The books, which are being indexed to make the information easier to pinpoint, were found in several places. The land and census records were at government archives in Frankfort, and several years' worth of marriage licenses were in the Fayette County clerk's storage area.

The documents are being scanned and eventually will be made available for public viewing on microfilm or a computer. But the original record books won't be available to the public in most cases.

Fayette County Deputy Clerk Emily Gentry showed a school census book about black students in the early 1900's These two books, which have been rebound, contain land records dating to 1779, before Kentucky was a state.

Charles Bertram Tim Tingle, manager of the archival services branch at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives in Frankfort, opened a land entry book from the late 1700s that once was in the Fayette County clerk's office. Charles Bertram A land claim made by Daniel Boone is in a commissioners﻿ book at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Call the Fayette County clerk's office at (859) 253-3344. For more information on early Kentucky land patents, visit

"The documents are so old and the pages are so fragile that I really would not be willing to put them out there for the public to peruse through," Deputy Fayette County Clerk Linda Potter said.Potter found out about a large volume of applications for land patents from an article in the October issue of The Kentucky Explorer magazine. The article said the Fayette County clerk's office had a "Doomsday Book" containing names of the commonwealth's earliest settlers.

According to Potter, this was news to her."We got a call from a customer saying they wanted to come down and look at it, but no one here knew anything about it," Potter said.After researching the book, she and deputy clerks Emily Gentry and Jennifer Tapia discovered that the Doomsday Book had been moved to the Kentucky Land Office in Frankfort in the early 1970s.

By His Excellency Robert Johnson Esqr Capt General Governor and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of South Carolina.

Instructions to William Wattis Esqre

Whereas it hath been made known unto me that several Parties of the Tuscarora Indians under his Majesty's Government of North Carolina have made frequent Inroads into His Majesty's Province of South Carolina and have (at divers times) Killed taken and destroyed several Indian Slaves belonging to the said Province of South Carolina and many of our friendly Indians residing in the heart of this settlement and insulted divers of the Inhabitants without any colour or pretence whatsoever or any occasion given for so doing.

And whereas I thought fit at the request of the Commons House of Assembly to appoint you the said William Waties to represent the said injurys to His Excellency George Burrington Esqre Governor of His Majesty's Province of North Carolina to the end that not only the said Insults may be prevented for the future but that satisfaction may be made by the said Tuscarora nation for what are past You are therefore hereby required on receipt of these your Instructions to repair to the Government of North Carolina and on your arrival you are to deliver to His Excellency George Burrington Esqre the letter from me to him directed which you will receive herewith.

You are to make your journey by way of Cape Fear and in the best manner you can inform yourself if any of the said Tuscaroras have lately passed or repassed that way and which of them are known.

You are to acquaint His Excellency the said Governor Burrington (or the Governor and Commander in Chief for the time being) with the particulars of the insults and injurys which heretofore as well as of late have been made and done by the said Tuscarora Indians to His Majesty's subjects in this Government and to our friendly Indians.

You are to request His Excellcy Governor Burrington that be

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cause the sevl Head Men of the said Nation to be sent for to come before His Excly and more especially such as have been lately in this settlement (if known)

You are to request His Excellency that you may have liberty to give them a Talk Face to Face in the name of this Government which if complied with you are to charge the said Indians with the particulars of the insults and injurys by them done to this Government and to demand satisfaction

You are to demand of the said Indians whether on the like complaint afore made they did not promise to do no more injurys to this settlement.

You are to demand of the said Indians whether on the said complaints afore made they did not promise to do no more Injurys to this Settlement.

You are to tell the said Indians that all the English in the several Govmts have but one Great King and are all one and the same people and therefore that if any injury be done to the white people in their persons or to their black or Indian Slaves Horses or Cattle that all the said Governmts are requested to assist each other in resenting their injurys as they have fully experienced already in the old wars between them and the White People.

You are to acquaint them that if they make any more Inroads and offer any more Injuries or refuse to make satisfaction for what is past this Government will treat them as Enemies and will immediately call in the Catawbas and Cherokees to their assistance and cut them off.

That this Government does expect they will immediately before your departure return all the Slaves they have taken (if alive) and if dead to pay the value of them.

You are to insist that they enter into articles with you in the name of this Government that they will come no more into this Settlement nor do any more injury to our White People Indian Slaves Horses or Cattle nor to our friendly Indians living within our Settlements on pain of being all cut off and destroyed as above said.

You are to communicate these your instructions to His Excellency the said Govr Burrington and to give him a copy thereof and you are in the name of this Government to request of His Excellency his favour countenance and assistance in all and singular the matter aforesaid.

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And you are to act and do in all the matters aforesaid and in all matters and things whatsoever that may or shall hereafter occur to you or be thought beneficial and useful to this Government for promoting the ends aforesaid according to the best of your knowledge and judgment desiring that all due credence and dispatch be given to you the said William Waties in this behalfe.

Given under our Hand and the Great Seal of this His Majtys Province the tenth day of April in the fourth year of His Majesty's Reign and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty one.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

At a meeting of the Rogersville Bar during the present March term 1899, of the Chancery Court, Chancellor H. G. Kyle presiding the following proceedings in reference to the death of Hon. H. C. Jarvis were had and ordered to be spread upon the record of said court; to wit: S, F. Powell, W. P. Gillenwaters and S. J. Chesnutt were appointed a committee and A. T. Bowen secretary to draft suitable resolutions in reference to the death of Mr. Jarvis, who reported as follows;

Henry Clay Jarvis was born at Sneedville, Hancock County, Tennessee on the 30th day of September 1858, being the first child born to his parents Captain L. M. (Lewis) and Mrs. Nancy E. Jarvis, both of whom yet live to mourn the loss of their son. Mr. Jarvis was educated in his own town with the exception of one or two sessions he attended at Tazewell, Tennessee.

While he was not a college bred man his educational attainments were superior to that of most men whose opportunities were no better than his. After quitting school he read law with his father , who was at that time the leading lawyer of Sneedville, and was admitted to the practice of law in 1879, and continued the practice at Sneedville until 1880 at which time he was elected to the lower house of Legislature of Tennessee at the early age of twenty two.

After serving his term in the legislature he resumed his law practice at Sneedville until 1888, at which time he came to and adopted Rogersville as his future home, in the same year (1888) was nominated and elected State Senator from the second Senatorial district of Tennessee, then composed of the Counties of Greene, Hawkins, and Hancock. In politics he was always a consistent, but conservative republican, that is, while he believed implicitly in the doctrines and tenets of the Republican Party, he conceded to others the right to differ with him.

After serving his term in the State Senate, he returned to Rogersville and at once entered into a successful practice.

On the 17th day of April 1895, Henry Clay Jarvis married Miss Lida Mitchell of Rogersville , a bright and talented young lady, and in every way fitted for the eminent lawyer who chose her for his help mate.

Mrs. Jarvis and two bright children a boy 3 years old and a girl 6 mo. old survive the loss of the husband and the father.

For more than a year before his death, Mr. Jarvis was an invalid, suffering from consumption.

He died at San Antonio, Texas on the 15th day of Feb. 1899.

In the death of H. C. Jarvis the Bar of Rogersville and East Tennessee has lost one of it’s brightest ornament. His career in what it has accomplished, he gave full assurance of grand future development.

We remember his enthusiasm, his professional ambition, his earnest and diligent work, his bearing was deferential to his seniors, general and polite among those of his own age, and considerately kind to his younger brothers.Upon features and conduct he wore the impress of honor, integrity and intellectual power, of genteel feeling and courageous action of all blended qualities of noble man-hood, in the strength of early maturity. May we emulate his example.

Resolved that in the new inroad upon our ranks we recognize that death has indeed chosen a shinning mark, that as members of the Bar we bear testimony that he was good and strong, brave and gentle, honorable and honored, we cherish his memory.

Resolved that pure sympathy be tendered to his wife and relatives, with a copy of these resolutions to be transmitted by the Secretary of this meeting.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Hancock County, Tennessee. You must know that within ten miles of this owl's nest, there is a watering-place, known hereabouts as 'black-water Springs.' It is situated in a narrow gorge, scarcely half a mile wide, between Powell's Mountain and the Copper Ridge, and is, as you may suppose, almost inaccessible. A hundred men could defend the pass against even a Xerxian army. Now this gorge and the tops and sides of the adjoining mountains are inhabited by a singular species of the human animal called MELUNGENS. The legend of their history, which they carefully preserve, is this. A great many years ago, these mountains were settled by a society of Portuguese Adventurers, men and women. Littell's Living Age 1848 See more here

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Mary Edwards who married Joseph White, George Cannon, and then Charles Barber Taylor. You can read about her here => http://ancestorslivehere.blogspot.com/2011/03/fearless-females-day-one-favorite.html

Melungeons, Footprints from the Past

Jack Goins' new book is out!

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Melungeons, Footprints from the Past

Stony Creek

The first written record of the word Melungin is recorded in the 1813 minutes of Stony Creek Church. "Then came forward sister Kitchens and complained to the church against Susanna Stallard for saying she harbored them Melungins"

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Mahala Mullin"s Cabin

Originally located on Newman Ridge, since moved to Vardy and restored.

Blackwater Creek, Vardy Valley, Hancock County Tennessee

You must know that within ten miles of this owl's nest, there is a watering-place, known hereabouts as 'black-water Springs.' It is situated in a narrow gorge, scarcely half a mile wide, between Powell's Mountain and the Copper Ridge, and is, as you may suppose, almost inaccessible. A hundred men could defend the pass against even a Xerxian army. Now this gorge and the tops and sides of the adjoining mountains are inhabited by a singular species of the human animal called MELUNGENS. The legend of their history, which they carefully preserve, is this. A great many years ago, these mountains were settled by a society of Portuguese Adventurers, men and women. Littell's Living Age 1848